Gotokuji Shrine And Beckoning Cats (2005-05-12)
Last year I talked about the legend of how a cat from Gotokuji (
) shrine saved a samurai from being struck by lightening.
This year KL and I decided to go to the shrine to look at their famous
manekineko (beckoning cats) during the Golden Week holiday.The shrine is just a short 20-minutes ride on the Odakyu Line (
) from
Shinjuku (
) and about another 15 minutes-walk once you get off at Gotokuji
Station. Gotokuji occupies quite a vast piece of land with a
large area of the complex dedicated to a cemetery amid numerous tall
cedar trees.
There is the usual reception hall, main shrine building, statues and
incense pots one normally sees in any large Japanese shrines or
temples. And like all of them, admission is free. The
famous manekineko statues are located in the courtyard of a seperate
building on the premise. There are easily over a hundred of these
beckoning cats in varying sizes on the shelves of the stand.
Visitors stand in front of them, observe them quietly and make a wish
in silence.
Despite being a public holiday the day we went to the shrine, there
was hardly any visitor. We took a leisurely stroll on the premise
while enjoying a variety of blooming flowers under the warm Spring
sunshine. It was a good day.
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